THE EXECUTION OF WILHELM KUSSEROW FOR REFUSING TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE GERMAN ARMY.

 On this date in 1940 (April 27th), Wilhelm Kusserow was executed in Munster, Germany, for refusing to be inducted into the German Army.

Jehovah's Witness. Conscientious objector. Born Sept. 4, 1914 in Bochum, Germany.

Wilhelm was drafted in the fall of 1939. Due to his religious beliefs, he refused to cooperate with any orders.

In early 1940, he was transferred to Munster, Germany to be court-martialled. On April 2, 1940, he was sentenced to death by firing squad. A few weeks later the sentence was carried out in an open field behind a former hospital. He was 25 years old.

Two years later, Wilhelm's younger brother, Wolfgang, also a Jehovah's Witness and a conscientious objector, would be executed for refusing military service, based on his religious beliefs. 

~The Marginal Mennonite Society Heroes Series

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